Process for the production of cementitious masses



Jmy 2, 19 E, WALTER ,006,425 PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CEMENTITIOUS MASSES l Filed Deo. 10, 1951 '.4 sheets-sheet 1 lNvENToR v ATTORNEY July 2, l1935. E. WALTER 2,006,425

PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CEMENTITIOUS MASSES Filed Dec. l0, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ,www

d ATTORNEY july 2, 935. Y E; WALTER 2,006,425

PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CEMENTITIOUS MASSES ATTRNEY July 2, 1935 E, WALTER 2,006,425

PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF' CEMENTITIOUS MASSES Filed Dec, l0, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mm je www Patented July 2,1935 y `2,006,425 u PRooEss Fon THE PRoDUo'rIoN. for

oEMills'rrrlous:M A'ssxial Ernest Waiter, Montclair, N. J., assigner terorr'ete `Mfg. Co., North Arlingtom'N. J., a corporation of New Jersey My invention relates to methodsV for treating cementitious materials to 'produce masses-and forms thereof having the appearance of natural rocks and refers .particularly to :methods'iorzproducing such masses and forms as will 'be attractive land useful for making rock gardens and containers having `the appearance Aoi have ing been made from naturalrocks. 1

In my invention I use, preferably, lightweight concrete vfor .makingA the rocks because lightweight concrete .is much ylighter in Weight, economic handling fand trucking, lout mainly, loecause lightweight concrete is permeated Lby smallair ibubbles which makesthe Amaterial much more attractive than solid concrete, having the appear- It is very 'important that this lightweightconcrete contain just 'the proper amount of water.. This Vis vmuch lmore essential thannwith the ordinary concrete. For ordinary concrete it-doe's" not matter .so much whether it is mixed-very dry or Very Wet, it will still-giveiairly'good ire-` suits.

ordinary yconcrete mix can vary from above orlf as much as ten (l) gallons per sack. 'Bhismeans that twenty-five percent to eighty-inve percent v(%) lof water of the `amount ofc'em'ent can be used and the concrete will. still `be usable.. This is entirely diierent for light concretos.

For instance, if the concrete is made with fthe foam method Where We use approximately onehundred (10.0) parts or" Portlandgcementfonehundred parts of sand., .about fifty, (15.0)'

parts of Water andthree tenths part offfoam compound and ten ,percent (10%) more Water is used, the product will be too light and too Weak f and also the heavier-particlesof cement and sand will settle to the bottom before the'concrete sets,

which makes a product that is not uniform. It less water is used, vsay ten percent "(10%less, the mixture will collapse -andvt 'eannotibeimade very light in weight. n

,For instance, in ordinary concrete-:freinv as little as three (3) gallons of Water-.per,sack` of cement can be used. The water contentswof powder process` where for'instmrce, one-hundred i100.) .parts of Port-` land cement, (100i parts .of sand,

aboutrfvty -rifm apartsiof water and three tenths part oi'4 ziposwder, .if much water is used the heaverspamticles .of fthe cement and sand are liable 'Lto' settle same asin the .foam process.- L When the .gas from the chemical reaction between the lime :and :cement and alumi-, num powder ldevelops, this gas 4reaction lis too rapid, :the material raises .higher :and is liable yto collapse afterward. yIifiless water :is used, the mixture will not rise at all, oryeryllittle and itl is `not possible 'to` obtain .a .lightweight concrete. 'Y I..haue found that xby rising ordinary .soil or loamhas :a rform material for "my rocks, Loan produce a very beautiful natura-l looking result;

I takelthisfsoil or loam the form of clumps or clods and pile it up rather loosely andxirregn-v lar-ly `linlto '-the'giproper :shapes and then :pour the lightweight Lconcrete'.:into vmoulds thus formed.-

On account of very liquid y'consistency thisl f concrete Aruns iintoallfthe -interstices in .the loosefA ly piled pieces of soil, or loam. After the `concrete-is set, :the vsoil or loa'mis removed by hand or other mechanical means and ywhatever acan-y 1 notloezthusfremoved easily :is 'washed .away withA a-water stream, which leaves the concrete in the original shapeffn which it was poured.` I am aware'that soil, dirt and loam have been used previously *lfor casting-:concrete and other mate-l ria-lslike cast iron, ibut `for my purpose it is very important that this soil, for loam Acontains fjust thfproper ofswater for moisture for the" ffolioWi-ng reasons-: 1

If thelsoi-l -is too Idry it -will absorb vwater from the lightweight concrete mixture. 1 l

"If thereiis toomuchwater'in the soil, the light` weightfeonerete is liable-to attract some of Athis water `W'hereift iis in contact with the soil and the` lightweight concrete mixture will behave as -fdescribed above,- tha-t is; the-heavier laggregates are liable to `settle out vand the lconcrete is vliable to collapseibeforeit sets, lalso there is too muc-h I water in the-soil,` it is 'ijr'npo'ssible to make the soil standV lin" clumps with jinterstices f between the andit not possible to get attractive'appearmg rocks.' Y p `For my purpose, 1I have-found that with afcertai-n kind of sdilithat 11i-should have approximately twentyevepercentof -Water `in the soil making attraotiveproducts.-

.rf :this partieron, :son materiel 1contains. :less 'than fitteenf-.percent watenitmill .absorb .sofmuc'h waterrom 'theiomwete mixture that theiaprocess cases the variation in the moisture contents of the forming material has to besmall.

Another important property which thefforrming material should have is that it should be easily removable from the deep pockets bya water stream. Ordinary clay or soil can be removed, but it takes considerable time and large amount of water under pressure to loosen it in the cavities and wash it out. The best material to use for the purpose of washing out is sand. Very little wateris required to wash sand out of deep holes, but sand alone is-not always'suitable because sand, if piledloosely, even if it isi wet, will easily collapse and doesnot form hol-- low spaces in which the concrete should flow. For many purposes I have found bestV to ,mix sand with a certain amount ofI `clay,` or ordinary'soil, so as to get the right mixture; For some cases however, when no undercut's are requiredfsand 1 alone may be suitable.'` But in most. cases when intricate undercut formations of v...the rocks are, wanted, a mixture of soiland sandin varying proportions is better.

Instead of soil, or soil and sand, other materials can be used, such as, sand andclay mixtures, diatomaceous earth,Vv asbestos refuse, short bredV peat, fine crushed stone, slate powder, sawdust vor,

any combinations of these and other suitable materials. I Y

Instead of such mixtures. ofmaterials I rcan also use clumps -made of plasticxmaterials like soft rubber, gelatin, starch, glue, gluten;V casein, gums and rosns aswell; as tar, asphaltic and other similar compounds.` r

These materials differ from Ythose mentioned above in that instead of beingmade of a solid material vand water so that they4 can be washed out of the cavities, they aremade in lumps and of a viscous material which'cannot be washed out by water but it-can -beypulled outofthe cavities. The plastic material -of which theseclumps can be madeshould have sufcent-elasticity, strength and viscosity so"thatit canieasily be removed from -thecementitiousmaterial afterv this is set and particularly so thatthese clumps can be pulled out'ofthe cavities `and hollows. 'q

I am aware that someof these -materials'have been used Afor theforming'of objects made of cement and also plaster fcastsj. yIt is common knowledge to usegelatin moulds which are usually -made of gelatin, glycerine and some other ad-mixtures, or soft ``rubber formsvfor objects which have to be made in quantities of one-or more. The new feature of my process for ,the use of these plastics istheruse of a: great number Vof. small and large .clumps of allldifferentrshapes which areindiscriminately piled up or laid against a sheet wire mould. In this way they form an everchanging pattern forythercementitious material which runs into the interstices between these clumps.l Such Vplastic masses have the important property which isrequired for my process that they do not, absorb any' water.v from the cementitious materials nor do v they add any water to it. After the cementitious materials are set these clumps of plastic masses are removed ,and used over and over again.

In my specification and claims I refer to the above mentioned and other suitable materials as soi1.

Another feature of my invention is the following: i

When a mould with wet soil is made, this soil is made so as to stand up almost vertically although usually it is advisable to give it an angle of repose of about seventy-five degrees (75). When the lightweight concentrate is poured into such a form, it will form a practically horizontal and flat surface on top which would not give ustherirregular rocks that we desire to make.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating modified methods of following the process of my .'invention, similar parts are designated by simmodified method of Figure 16 illustrates. an arrangement of ce mentitious masses made by my process.

Figures 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 illustrate a modified method of following my process.

Figures 22 and 23 illustrate a modified methodv assembled clods or clumps of soil li), I0, form a mould into which concrete Il is poured to the level indicated in Figure l. I then throw, ordeposit, small clumps, or pieces, of soil I2, l2, upon the top surface of the concrete, .preferably near` VThis deposited soil raises the' concrete level, and as the soil is'usually some-y the` sides thereof.

what heavier than the concrete, it sinksinto the concrete, but not completely to the bottom, as shown in Figure 2. vThere is thus formed an irregularly shaped top portion to the concrete having a plurality of irregularly shaped pockets.

If the soil material thrown upon the top of the .concrete mixture is too heavy, that is so heavy that it is liable to settlev down to the bottom, it can be lightened in various ways, as for instance by mixing ity with foam. Wet soil can be mixed `with a foam made with the proper foaming materials and it can be made as light as the concrete mixture. In this way pieces of light soil can be incorporated into the mixture which practically float on the cement mixture.

When the metal powder process is used for making lightweight concrete, the mixture rises after-it is poured. During the rising of the mixture the clumps of soil can be inserted and many pockets can be provided. This metal powder process has the further advantage that the top surfacev effects produced are similar to those of. overflowing and cooling lava. f

, After the concrete sets, the soil material is removed by hand or a trowel or other mechanical means as well as possible, the remainder which is'in the deeppockets is washedoutrby a power-v ful stream of water. The soil may be collected inv a settling tank for re-use if desired. YIn order tosave water, av pump can be used'which circulates nozzle Whichwashes the'rocks'out. I

the4 same .iwatenf from thelsettling: "tank to the?.

" f' mixture .tolrunfinto' the .pockets :of the. Iooselyif v The pockets which have -been lfo'rme'diin the: stones are 'avery convenient: for the planting of' small plants which are usually usedin'rockand Y removed-f"The-.concrete mixture .l-I :rises and? alpine gardens. Y

Figures B-.and 4 show another way for making:

rocksAby-my process. l An irregular .bed ofs'oil I9, III `is-vprepared on which clumps I0",` HJgare seti` up on thesamematerial to Yformhollo'v'v spaces in the rocks,- The mixture .of lightweight con,` crete II is. then poured to the level fas yshown in` Figure'3. ,Soil I2, I2, is vthrown in the center-'sol` as to mark` dividing lines betweenxindividuall rocks.y The concrete 4mixture kwill rise oa high and higher level and enough clumps or 'oilfcanf the'concrete is partiallysetfand'fhy throwing soil in clumps vinto this partially-isst concrete.V -f Sandor nedirt can also be thrown intoithe: top which` leaves an irregular speckled surface.' `.i This invention applies lnot only to rocks 'but `to 'whole rock mountains castin large masses, also garden pools, Japanese gardens,bird baths,

miniature mountains, sirndials, benches, etcetera'.l \l\/4IyV process, can4 also be applied fon/'garden 1 potteries.' Figures 5, 6, and-'7,for instance, show such garden potterylcan be made; The vsoilis,

prepared on a flat surface` asshown inI Figuref5. The lightweight aerated concrete mixture .is ythen poured toa `determined level astoi lineX-XLYA vClumps of soil I2--I2 are thrownintofthe sidesf which will raise the level of the concrete mixture-y aslshown in Figure 6. Additional clumpsof; soil i3, I3 can bedeposited so Vas .to`forinf-naturalV pockets for the reception of small alpineand rock plants, or a-core of soil material I. can'be inserts ed so asto makefthe desired size hole .for-plants.'

This .makes a very attractive pattern. Itis. evi'-l dent that these pots can be made inf'anyidfesired: shape and size. 1 Y f My process can alsoy bef employediorf making face building. stone. This caribe done either-byl the facing Vcast on. the bottom'orfon the side or on the top. In all cases itis important that thel forming material-.which Yis used haspthe right.k Y water contents. y making such blocks withthefacexon top is shown rFor instance, one :method for in Figures 8 and 9. The lightweight concretemix- II is poured into a square mould I'5.a`s showning Figure 8. After it is. thus' poured, soil material I2, I 2 which can be' lightened as explainedabove,

is inserted upon theito-pof. the concrete.. Afterv and then a soilmaterial I2 inserted 'onftheiside as shown in Figure 12. l

Y If the face of the blocks is produced, onV the bota tom, this requires a similar ymould asshownin. v Figure 13, the soil I2 being placed upon lthe botlOm. Y l 5 ,.f 1 Figures 14 and 15 show another way for mak-jl ingpots. An open cylinder, I6 is setup anfdnsoil I2 packed loosely against.itsou'tsidegV Concrete.

'mixture -III is then poured .inter the. .insidevto .a

level Y-Y. Form cylinder I 6 is then lifteA llar-outer face.Y

antun oneihau rash-eight whichflwiuzcase the ihder II is introduced from' thetopf-uhtil`- it rests on. precast chairs 18,.' I8, I the. cylinder..V I-Ii.r isthen.

takes the shape shown in Figure 15,1 The -.soils I21Jand. Il areiwashed@ away after the concretekis setg;this..producesa finishedypot havingaan: irregu.

Figureml v.shows how 'rocks can he.moulded to make a rock garden consisting of apool I9, hol-iz lov/rocks, 20, 20 Whose recessesmay be..lled withrearth and a rock 2| with. holes-@Which go,` all the wayr throughthus. giving the plants-"a bet@`V` ter chance to grow right out of therocks.L i

Anothermethod producingan. irregular sure: K

face von. pottery is shown in Figures v17-;.and,-18

Apiece ofsheet metal 22v is set up and soil-12in;

clumpsof irregular shape piled against this :sheet` metal to a certain level.; The cementitious matter: II is thenpoured on the other sidaof the 'sheet out beforev itr has" a. chance. to..set,.whichfpermitsl thev cement `ITI to run into` the cavities between thel` clumps as shown in Figure 18. Thissheetrmetalf., 22' can` have anyirregulargshape as showniriFigr ure. 19. This sheet 22 cani also be setsup'gon: a

slantmunderV anyfangle as shown. in vFigure 20.1

The'rmethodof pouring materials in this way-has. thel advantage. that :rocks can: he made o fiairly` predetermined shape by always using .theisa'me i clothhaspthe additional'advantage that itcanbe put up*very"irregiilarly,l `When .pulled out,';=after the cementitious material fis poured, it makes a. veryirregular"surface,vr l .i

Figures. 22' and. 23; show hovv'round` pots can bef made by having a cylindrical shell 2`3 set up. The soilY I2', I,2.is piledagainst the shelland around it.r ..A core 2li can he set4 uppn'the -inside and; thentheicementitious material poured around .the c.ore'.l,Aftery it is. poured thesheet iron; shellLM' isremovedwhich gives a garden pot as shown in.

Figure23'. l t l IThe .introduction of soil material .intofthetops ofthe. cementitious mixture.' after it isV poured' isz vnot restricted.. to. aerated concrete,` but can als@ be used; with ordinary` heavy concrete, if. this. is. made wet 'enough'so thaty the soilmaterial'can he pushedi Y ,The snil material. employed inrmyprocess.

have a higher or a lower specific gravity'thanl the cementitiousmaterial, or 'it maybe of the samespecic. gravity,r it being. sufficient that. at; least a portienof the-"soil material be belowl theA so gthatmarble likey effects `can beobtained, :O f,

course other cementitious materials'. canalso used such as gypsum, magnesitecernenmetcetera,1 andtherocks made of thesematerials would be suitablejior indoor use. j, y nl @mariani/919k.materialismo@ surface. offthelcementitious materialduringgthe It is evident that larger pieces of rock, bird:

baths, pools can be suitably reinforced with steel'- bars or wire netting inV order to make themstronger and light.

Ido not limit myself .v to the .particularsiza shape, number, arrangement .or material of parts as shown and described as these are givensim-v ply as ameans for clearlydesoribing my invention.

What I claim is:

1. Ina process "for the production, of cementitious masses, the steps which compriseforming a mould from soil, pouring` concrete into said mould, placing a pluralityof clumps of material upon the surface of saidv concretel before it has hardened, atleast a portion of said clumps being below the surface of said Vconcrete and removing said material by means of water after said'concrete has hardened. Y Y Y 2. In a process for the production of cementitious masses, the steps which comprise forming a mouldffrom soil and having an irregular inner face, pouring a `cementitious material finto said mould, placing a plurality of Vclumps of soil upon the surface of said cementitious material before it has hardened, at least Ya portion of said clumps being below the surface of said cementitious material Vand removing said placed soil from said cementitious material aftersaid cementitiousmaterial Vhas hardened.

3. VIn a process for the production of cementitious masses, the steps which comprise forming a mould from soil, placing a second mould within the first mentioned mould, pouring a cementitious material between the two said moulds, placing a plurality of clumps of` soil upon the surface of said .cementitious materiaLatleast a portion of saidl clumps being below the .surface of saidr cementitious material, allowing said cementitious material to harden and removing said moulds from said hardened cementitious material.

. 4. In a process for the production of cementitious masses, the `steps which comprise forming a `mould from..a material which Will practically unchange the liquid.. contents of a cementitious material placed therein, pouringa cementitious.

material into said mould, placing a plurality of clumps lof removablematerial Ywhich' will practically unchange the liquid contents ofr said cementitiousmaterial uponthe surface of said.cemen;

titious material before Vit'has hardened, at least a portion of said clumps being below the surface of said cementitious material and removing saidA material. after .said cementitious .material has hardened.

5. In a process for the production of cementie tious masses, the steps which comprise depositing clumps of soil of a nature which will practically unchange the liquid contents of acementitious` material, against one side of .a thin. sheet form, pouring cementitious material against the other side of said form, removing said form before said fore said cementitious'material has hardened, placing a plurality of clumps of asoil of a na-Y ture which `will practically unchangethe liquid contentsfof said cementitious material'upon the surface of said cementitious material, Vat least a portion of said clumps being below the sur face of said cementitious material,;allowing said `cementitious material toset and removing said soil from said hardened cementitious material.

7. In a process for the Vproduction of rcementitious masses, the steps which comprise depositing clumps of soil of a nature which will practically unchange the liquid contents ofl a ,cementitious material against a hollow mould open at the bottom, placing a second mould within said rst mould, pouring a cementitious material .between said moulds, removing saidrst mentioned mould before said cementitious material has hardened,"

allowing said cementitious material to nil the interstices of said soil. clumps, allowing said cementitious material to harden and removing said soilv 4from said hardened cementitious material.

8. In a process for theproduction of cementitious masses, the steps which comprise forming a mould *havingan` inner face formedby therinwardly exposed surfaces of an assemblage of clods of soil of irregular shape and unequal size thereby providing a mouldv surface having abrupt projections ,with intervening abrupt depressions, pouring a cementitious' material into said mould, and'rem'oving said mould by disintegrating the soil thereof afterV said cementitious material has hardened thereby to removesuch soil from the complemental pocketsformed in the cementitiousv size which Will provide a mould surface having Y abrupt projections with :intervening abrupt de` pressions, pouring a cementitious material into said mould, and removing said mouldafter the cementitious-*material has hardened by causingY the plastic material of the mould to yield out of the complemental pockets formed in the cementerial,. and removing said placed clods by disin-l tegrating' the soil thereofafter said cementitious material has hardened .thereby tok remove such soil from the complemental pockets formed in the surface of the cementitous mass by said clods.

11. In a process for the production of cementitious masses, the steps which comprise pouring a cementitious material intofanopen top mould, placinga plurality of lumps of yieldable plastic material of irregular shape and unequal size upon the'surface of saidy cementitious material before it has hardened to be there exposed with at least a portion of said lumps below the surface of said cementitious material, and removing said lumps after the cementitious material has hardened by causing the plastic material of said lumps toV yield out of the complemental pockets formed in the surface'of the cementitious mass by said. lumps. i.

12. In a process for the production of cementitious masses, the steps which comprise forming an open top mould having an inner face formed by the inwardly exposed surfaces of an assemblage of clods of soil of irregular shape and unequal size thereby providing a mould surface having abrupt projections with intervening abrupt depressions, pouring a cementitious material into said mould, placing a plurality of clods of soil ofr irregular shape and unequal size upon the surface of said cementitious material before it has hardened to be there exposed with at least a portion of said placed clods'below the surface of said cementitious material, and removing said mould and said placed olods by disintegrating the soil thereof after said cementitious material has hardened thereby to remove such soil from thel complemental pockets formed in the cementitious mass by the mould projections and byV said placed clods. f

13. In a process for the production of cementitious masses,l the steps which comprise forming an open top mould having an inner face formed by the inwardly exposed surfaces of lumps of yieldable plastic material of irregular shape and unequal size which Will provide a mould surface having abrupt projections with `intervening abrupt depressions, pouring a cementitious material into said mould, placing a plurality of lumps ofY yieldable plastic material ofA irregular shape and unequal size upon the surface of said cementitious material before it has hardened to be there exposed with at least ,a portion of said placed lumps below the surface of said cementitious mal terial, and removing said mould and said placed lumps after the cementitious material has hardened by causing the plastic material of the mould andkof said placed lumps to yield out of the complem'ental` pockets formed in the cementitious mass by the mould projections and by said placed lumps. f

ERNEST WALTER. 

